Socceroos must crush minnows

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Australia should show the Solomon Islands no mercy in the Confederations Cup play-offs starting next Saturday, say Serie A stars Marco Bresciano and Vince Grella.

But Bresciano will miss the Solomons showdown after picking up a hamstring injury playing for Parma against Inter last weekend.

Middlesbrough striker Mark Viduka and Socceroos captain Craig Moore have joined him on the injury list and been left out of the Frank Farina's squad to face the Solomons. Neither player featured for their clubs last weekend nor in midweek UEFA Cup action.

However, Bresciano did wish club and country teammate Grella a bon voyage yesterday with a message to put the Islanders back in their place.

"With all respect to the Solomon Islands, they embarrassed us in Adelaide [at the Oceania Nations Cup in May] so we should pump them this time," Bresciano said.

The minnows will challenge Australia for a place at the Confederations Cup next year, and again in 10 months for a World Cup play-off place, after drawing 2-2 with the Socceroos in the Oceania Nations Cup in May, a result that eliminated New Zealand from both big-money FIFA tournaments.

Bresciano urged his Australia teammates to beat the Solomons by a cricket score to reassert Australia's authority in the region.

"We should score as many goals as we can," he said. "I was embarrassed by the result in Adelaide. I think we should hammer them at their place and ours.

"We should give them a good lesson. They are probably getting cocky, too, so we should put them back in their place."

Grella, a standout performer for Parma against an Inter Milan midfield of Edgar Davids and Juan Sebastian Veron last weekend, said he welcomed playing in front of a big partisan crowd in Honiara next Saturday afternoon.

But he added that the Australian Soccer Association should use every legal method it could to unsettle opponents visiting Australia if the Socceroos were to qualify for the 2006 World Cup.

"It's good that there will be a big crowd in the Solomons," Grella said. "It's good to see that they are enthusiastic. However, we should be playing the return game in Australia at night in Melbourne where it is cold.

"We should learn from the South Americans by treating [visiting teams] just as badly as we get treated when we go there. We always ring the church bell for [visiting teams] when they come to Australia."

Grella also urged the Sydney public to turn out for the return leg on October 12 after being disappointed by the lack of home support for the Socceroos against Turkey earlier this year.